Karditsa ( ) is a city in western Thessaly in mainland Greece. It is the largest city and the capital of the Karditsa regional unit. According to the 2021 census, the municipality of Karditsa has a population of 55,979, of whom 40,272 live within the city limits of Karditsa.
History During the period of Ottoman rule in Thessaly, the main settlement in the location of modern Karditsa was called Sotira. In 1810, the English traveler William Martin Leake mentioned a sprawling village named Kardhítza, consisting of between 500-600 houses, of which the majority of the inhabitants were Turkish.Leake, William Martin. Travels in Northern Greece. (1835).
Karditsa was incorporated as a new city in 1882, the year after its liberation from the Ottoman Empire (1881).
During World War II, the resistance in Thessaly was fought primarily by the ELAS. On March 12, 1943 Karditsa was liberated temporarily by ELAS after the Italian capitulation.
In September 2020, the city was badly hit from catastrophic floods that resulted in 4 deaths.
Municipality The municipality Karditsa was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 5 former municipalities, that became municipal units: Itamos Kallifoni Kampos Karditsa Mitropoli
The municipality has an area of 647.3878 km2, the municipal unit 110.086 km2. Formerly, Karditsa had a neighbourhood known as Vlachomachalas, which was populated by Vlachs (Aromanians).Rousiakis, Sotirios (2021). THE MODERN GREEK DIALECT OF THE KARAGOUNS IN WEST THESSALY. p. 19.
Subdivisions The municipal unit of Karditsa is divided into six parts (communities): Agiopigi Artesiano Karditsa Karditsomagoula Palioklissi Rousso
Historical population Year Community Municipal unit Municipality 2001 35,971 41,411 - 2011 39,119 44,002 56,747 2021 40,272 44,700 55,979
Climate Karditsa has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa), and typically experiences hot, dry summers and cool winters with substantial precipitation.
Education The Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Thessaly -one of two Veterinary departments in Greece- and three other university departments of the University of Thessaly are based in the city.
Transport Karditsa is served by trains on the Palaiofarsalos-Kalambaka line, with connections to both Athens and Thessaloniki.
Sports Football clubs include Anagennisi Karditsa, ASK Karditsa, AO Karditsa, Asteras Karditsas (el) and Elpides Karditsas. SPA Karditsa (el) is a volleyball club. Sport clubs based in KarditsaClubFoundedSportsAchievementsAnagennisi Karditsas1904 Football Presence in Beta EthnikiAO Karditsa1966Football Earlier presence in Beta EthnikiASK Karditsa2006 Basketball Presence in Alpha EthnikiSPA Karditsa1987VolleyballPresence in A2 Ethniki volleyballElpides Karditsas1994FootballPresence in A Ethniki women
Notable people
The two most prominent personalities of Greek history, who came from Karditsa, were the marshals–fighters: Georgios Karaiskakis, military commander and a leader of the Greek War of Independence Nikolaos Plastiras, general, politician and prime minister of Greece
Τhe Greek archbishop, Seraphim of Athens was also born and raised in Karditsa.
Other notable people associated with Karditsa are the following ones:
Politics Georgios Siantos, politician and Greek Resistance figure Charilaos Florakis, politician and leader of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Theodoros Anagnostopoulos, politician and member of parliament Evripidis Kafantaris, politician and writer Dimitris Sioufas, politician and former minister Kostas Tsiaras, politician and former minister Spyros Taliadouros, politician and former deputy minister Spyridon Lappas, politician and member of parliament
Arts and music Dimitris Yioldasis, artist and painter Helena Paparizou, singer and winner of 2005 Eurovision Song Contest Giorgos Valtadoros, painter and short story writer Thomas Bakalakos, composer and mathematician Pantelis Sabaliotis, painter, sculptor, and curator Fotini Velesiotou, rebetiko singer Dionysis Tsaknis, composer, lyricist, and singer Mimis Gioulekas, rebetiko and folk singer Efi Thodi, traditional Greek and pop music singer
Sports Labros Papakostas, high jumper and medalist at the World Indoor Championships Stefanos Tsitsipas, professional tennis player Konstantinos Thanos, wrestler and Olympic medalist Ioannis Bourousis, basketball Greek national team player Sakis Tsiolis, footballer and football manager Vaios Karagiannis, footballer Antigoni Drisbioti, race walker and gold medalist at European Championships Dimitrios Tsiamis, triple jumper and bronze medalist at European Championships Alexandros Papamichail, Olympic race walker Dimosthenis Tampakos, gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Panagiota Tsinopoulou, Olympic race walker
Sciences Vassilis Papazachos, professor and seismologist Evanthia Galanis, professor of oncology and molecular medicine Vaios T. Karathanos, professor at the Harokopio University Christos Pitsavos, cardiologist and emeritus professor at the University of Athens George Mantanis, professor and fellow of the IAWS and HAA Polycarpos Falaras, physicist and distinguished researcher at Demokritos Research Centre Thanasis Jamurtas, professor at the University of Thessaly Thanos Karathanos, chemist and oenologist
See also Fanari, Karditsa
Gallery
References
External links
Karditsa Wireless Metropolitan Network, Karditsas Wifi Community Network (in Greek)